Indicator tap knob



Nov. 22, 1938. c FISHER 2,137,668

INDI GATOR TAP KNOB Filed Jan. 51, 1938 Inventor [fr 2:74am?! ."lfforncys Patented Nov. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mmos'roa TAP xnoa Francis 0. Fisher, Syracuse, N. Y. Application January a1, 1938, Serial No. 187.976

' 2 Claims. (01. -8)

This invention relates particularly to faucets or tap valves forming a part of a bar-counter equipment, and more especially to an improved handle or knob for such type of faucet or tap valve.

At the present time it is practically a uniform requirement that dispensers of alcoholic beverages give some positive indication to the customer of the fact that there is being drawn for consumption the requested brand of beverage. In accordance with this requirement the practice of providing tap valve knobs on which the trade-mark or branded insignia is displayed has become universal.

A salient feature of the present invention is the provision of a tap knob or handle so constructed that the trade-mark or insignia on the knob may be changed at will.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a handle or knob for tap valves which is generally substantially spherical except for a relatively flat portion disposed at a material incline or angle to the perpendicular and adapted to have detachably associated therewith a plate or disk on which the trade-mark or branded insignia is displayed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handle or knob for tap valves which is further characterized by having in the spherical portion thereof means provided whereby a second plate,-

of materially less diameter than the first plate, and bearing a corresponding trade-mark or branded insignia may be quickly and detachably mounted on and secured to the knob; the object, intent and purpose of so equipping the knob being that the brand or mark on the knob is readily observable by both the customer and the one dispensing the beverage.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the knob with the indicia plates mounted thereon,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectionalview through the knob with the indicia plates thereon,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the knob,

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the knob with the larger indicia plate removed,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the larger indicia plate,

Figure 6 is a similar view of the smaller indicia plate, and

Figure 'I is a fragmentary detail plan view of the knob showing the manner in which the same valves vary slightly in diameter and to that end,

and as more fully disclosed in my above identified l5 co-pending application, my improved knob is provided in the neck 6 and base 8 thereof with a metallic insert 9 in'the form of a two-diameter socket having a threaded diameter ID for threaded engagement with a tap valve stem of one di- 20 ameter, and a threaded diameter I I for threaded engagement with a tap valve stem of a second or smaller diameter.

As clearly shown in the drawing the main body portion 'l of the knob is substantially a true 25 sphere except as hereinafter noted. Consequently, as distinguished from other indiciaequipped knobs, the neck 6 of my improved knob as it merges with the main body or head I- thereof flares or. increases in diameter in all direc- 30 tions and consequently is not truly straight and of uniform external diameter as is the case with other'such types of knobs generally.

Preferably, and as shown, the head or main body portion I of the knob is hollow so that the 35 knob will be light in weight yet strong and durable.

The body or head I of the knob is provided on one side thereof with a fiat portion l2 tilted upwardly relative to the vertical as shown, and 40 in this fiat space or portion of the knob head I there is provided a recess 1 3 of material diameter.

An indicia plate I4 is adapted to seat within the recess l3 and this plate I is slightly concavoconvex and has on the convex face or side thereof a trade-mark, insignia, or other indicia.

Formed integral with the trade-mark plate It and projecting from the concave side of the plate at the edge of the latter are anchoring prongs l5 that are adapted. to engage in notches I 6 extending inwardly of the hollow of the head 1, and opening at one end outwardly through the seat l3 so as to receive the anchoring prongs IS. The anchoring prongs I! being resilient will tendto frictionally and positively retain the plate I4 I seated within the recess and in conjunction with the notches I! will serve to retain the plate I against being rotatably displaced relative to the knob. Thus the indicla on the plate It will be always held in such a position as to be readily readable.

It will thus be seen that readily a plate ll bearing one trade-mark may be quickly removed from the knob and a second plate bearing a second or different trade-mark readily substituted therefor.

Further in accordance with the-present invention the head or main body 1 of the knob nearest to the top thereof but at a side opposite to the flat portion I2 is provided with a circular recess I] and at the bottom of the recess is provided with aligned slots l8 that open at their inner ends into the hollow portion of the knob.

The recess l1 accommodates an indicla hearing, or trade-mark plate is that seats snugly within the recess l1 and is of materially less diameter than the trade-marked plate I.

Like the trade-marked plate 14, however, the trade-mark plate I9 is concavo-convex and has projecting from the concave side thereof spring anchoring prongs integral with the edge of the plate and adapted to extend through the slots I! in a manner clearly shown in Figure 2.

Also as shown in Figure 2 the lowermost anchoring prong 20 may be readily bent-downwardly into engagement with the body of the valve interiorly of the hollow 2| of the knob, to insure a positive anchoring of the plate l9 within its recess l1. s

It will be understood that the. trade-mark on the plate It will correspond with the trade-mark or other indicla on the plate 14.

with the knob placed on the stem of the tapvalve plate ll will be disposed toward the front of the counter so that the indicla or trade-mark thereon will be in full view of the customer while the trade-mark plate I 9, positioned on the knob as illustrated and described, will be ina position so that the trade-mark thereon will be in full view of the serveror bar-attendant.

Like the plate ll plate I! bearing one'form of trade-mark may be readily removed from the knob and a second plate similar thereto, but bearing a different type of trade-mark may be readily substituted therefor.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility and advantages of a knob or handle embodying the features of the presentinvention will be had without a more detailed description thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A knob of the class described comprising a substantially spherical head, a portion of which is flat and tilted upwardly and said head having a chamber therein opening out through the flat tilted portion, an annular seat in,said flat portion and surrounding the adjacent portion of the chamber, the walls of said adjacent part of the chamber having notches therein passing through portions of the seat, a plate having its periphery engaging the seat, spring prongs connected with the peripheral part of the plate and frictionally engaging the notches for holding the plate in position.

2. A knob of the class described comprising a head having a chamber therein opening out through a portion of the head and another portion of the head having a recess therein and holes leading from the recess into the chamber, a plate fitting in the outer end of the recess, spring prongs connected with the plate and passing through the holes with one prong bent over to engage a portion of the wall of the chamber and aclosure for the open end of the chamber.

FRANCIS C. FISHER. 

